Trades unionist likes Cuomo for WFP

The battle between competing priorities in the Working Families Party is on full display here at their nominating convention in the Desmond hotel as supporters of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and challenger, Fordham law professor Zephyr Teachout, are busy rounding up votes ahead of the nominating vote later Saturday.

One of the biggest apparent splits are between what could be described as the party’s activist wing, which has pegged campaign finance reform as well as other social issues such as the Dream Act and continuing reform of drug laws, as priorities — and trade union members who believe the WFP can provide help and pressure mainstream Democrats to pursue their issue, which they say is the declining middle class.

From that standpoint, the unionists believe that sticking with Cuomo is the pragmatic route, since he’s in a position as governor to help their cause through moves such as project labor agreements and even living wage laws (which the activists also want).

“All of those other issues are secondary,” Harley Doles, supervisor of Monroe, Orange County, and a WFP member attending the convention said.

Backing a protest candidate such as Teachout, added Gerry McQuade would be akin to supporting Ralph Nader back in the 2000 Bush-Gore race, although there’s little doubt that Cuomo will lost to GOP candidate Rob Astorino.

The WFP, said McQuade, who is an IBEW union member, should “get on the train with Andrew Cuomo and make our views known.”

Activists, though, are so angry with Cuomo about his tax cuts, which they say disproportionately help the 1 percent, that they want an alternative, in order to send the governor a message.

There’s a bit of a lull in the convention right now as AG Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli both gave their speeches (both are seeking the WFP as well as Democratic lines) and both sides are preparing for a Cuomo vs Teachout vote later tonight.

Dear IBEW,
We support you, please support your public employee brothers and sisters. Andrew Cuomo is no friend to labor, period. Premier Cuomo is selling you a bill of goods he does not plant to deliver on, you know how he has attempted to divide and conquer with the state workforce, teachers, localities, etc.
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Zephyr Teachout is the real deal, please IBEW, Teamsters and all our friends, make the right choice. With some cash, she can actually win.

This is exactly the reason why many people, including ones that are forced to be union members because of their jobs, are rejecting the unions even scoffing at them. Unions are nothing more than an incubator for growing corruption. And union bosses are only in it for themselves.

I wonder if the commenters above, who seem to be attacking Unions, the WFP & Cuomo for lacking progressive principles, are in fact Republicans who are totally opposed to progressive principles, but actively trying to divide progressives, unions, Democrats & the WFP.